By Nick Greenfield
Controversy over the proposed expansion of Metcalfe Street is heating up, but the national campaign of a new opposition coalition is misleading and premature, say Ottawa Centre MP Mac Harb and the National Capital Commission.
Stop the Metcalfe Nonsense, a coalition of city and regional politicians, heritage experts and the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation, is asking all Canadians to petition their MPs in defiance of the NCC’s vision for downtown Ottawa.
It’s a plan that could destroy 17 city blocks and cost Canadian taxpayers an estimated $5 billion.
But that’s only one option, says Harb, who adds the coalition has mislabeled the NCC’s vision for Metcalfe Street.
Options range from a square on Wellington Street directly across from Parliament Hill to a narrower tree-lined boulevard.
On June 8, the NCC’s 50-year vision for Ottawa grabbed headlines with its idea of a sweeping grand boulevard lined with trees all the way from McLeod Street to Parliament Hill. City and regional politicians scoffed at the notion of turning Metcalfe Street into Ottawa’s version of Pennsylvania Avenue, but that was four months ago, and what was once nervous laughter is now outright fear.
“This is an idea, not a plan,” says Harb. “For someone to oppose the plan — it is misleading. It only becomes a plan if the community says yes.”
But members of STEMN say he is ignoring the issue. Harb disagrees.
He held a town hall meeting in late July and just commissioned a two-week public interest survey on the NCC’s proposals.
“I’m bypassing all of the bureaucratic nonsense to go to the people and get to the heart of the matter,” says Harb. “We have to strike a balance between local interests and national interests.”
STEMN members say the NCC’s vision undermines the city and region’s own revitalization plans.
Coun. Elisabeth Arnold says the idea of tearing down homes, businesses and heritage buildings is a serious threat to the city. Ottawa city council voted unanimously against the NCC’s vision earlier this summer and she says the NCC’s lack of consultation and respect for the city’s plan is outrageous.
“To be asked to wait until after consultation — I hope as a result of the press conference, the NCC will change their tune and look at things that will enhance the capital rather than destroy the city and the tax base.”
A city draft response to the proposal will be submitted to Ottawa’s planning committee, wich Arnold Chairs, Tuesday.
According to published reports, the report is said to be a harsh condemnation of the pproposal. It objects to the destruction of significan heritage buildings and the decimation of of commercial, office and residential buildings.
Arnold was echoed by Regional Coun. Clive Doucet, who says the NCC’s vision helps no one.
“Ottawa is your capital. This is not good for us — it is not good for you.”
The expansion is a federal initiative and should be of concern to all Canadian taxpayers, says Walter Robinson, federal director of the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation.
“This is a public plan to destroy private property and Canadian taxpayers across the country are going to pay,” he says. “It’s not a constructive use of federal dollars.”
Federal dollars that could total $5 billion, estimates Robinson.
Such premature estimates are unfounded, says Luc Begin, media relations director for the NCC.
“This is a long-term vision,” he says. “The decision won’t be made overnight.”
Begin says the public has had adequate time to reflect since the NCC’s proposals were made public on June 8 and he hopes STEMN will make its views known by the Sept. 28 deadline.